Leases remain an issue in Region 12

News-Times, The (Danbury, CT)

Published
8:00 pm EDT, Sunday, August 31, 2008

Some board members argue they want to be more fully informed about the proposed lease contents. Others argue the board was briefed on the leases when it received a verbal summary of a handshake agreement with the towns in July.

Bridgewater, Roxbury and Washington -- the region's three towns -- own their primary schools, but lease them to the region. The board paid $1 a year in the 20-year leases that expired more than a year ago.

The towns have argued in recent years that the board let the school buildings fall into disrepair. They are demanding the region complete maintenance and repair items that the towns insist were required under prior leases.

Board member Valerie Andersen had asked in July that the leases be on the agenda of Monday's school board business meeting.

He reported that the committee had recently received a draft lease from Town Attorney Fred Baker but said there are repair list issues remaining to be settled.

Hirschfield said the committee had not been able to meet since receiving the draft because of travel conflicts and summer vacations. He said the leases, identical for each town but with differing repair lists, would come to the board after the committee meets, possibly next week.

The proposed 20-year leases would require the board to include a minimum $100,000 annually in the budget for the first five years of the leases for repairs, as well as up to 0.75 percent of any operating surplus.

In years six through 20 of the leases, the region is to guarantee $150,000 in its budgets for ongoing maintenance, Hirschfield has said.

Andersen said the board would be making a "mighty commitment" to the towns, including $100,000 in the 2008-09 budget.

"We're intelligent people that can weigh in on this," she said, remarking she did not like reading about the leases in the newspapers. "Let us see it."

"We're not talking about approval," said Andersen, arguing the draft should be discussed by the full board so members are fully apprised of the issues.

Fellow member Kelly Lott agreed the board should see a working draft to give members time to digest the lease before having to vote and to be able to respond to constituent questions.

"You'll have ample time to read them," board chairman Matt Franjola said, remarking those seeking to discuss a draft are usurping the committee's work.

Fellow member Irene Allan agreed the board would be in danger of rehashing the work of the committee and said it would be a mistake to bring forward a preliminary lease.